Does a Guitar Case Protect From Humidity?

Does a Guitar Case Protect From Humidity?

If you live in a location that’s susceptible to moisture and humidity, then you know that some objects can react to the atmosphere in a negative way. This is exactly what can and will happen to your guitar too!

Since most guitars are made from wood, it’s on point to assume that they will react to either too much humidity or not enough humidity. So how do you protect your guitar from being damaged? Does a guitar case protect your guitar from humidity?

In this article, we talk about guitar humidity in regards to using a guitar case and how to control the environment inside your case once it is closed. We will also recommend the best type of guitar case that will protect your guitar while it’s being stored.

The length of time it takes for your guitar to experience adverse reactions caused by humidity can vary depending on the length of time your guitar is exposed to an environment and the quality of your guitar.

How fast your guitar will actually be affected will mainly depend on how much humidity there is in the environment where you keep your guitar. The ideal humidity for most guitars will be between 45% and 55%.

You can measure the humidity in a room by using a digital hygrometer, which is a simple device that measures the amount of water vapor in the air. 

For extreme humidity changes, it will take a good week for any significant damage to happen to your guitar. If you travel a lot, a good habit to get into is to leave your guitar in its case for a while after you arrive at your destination.

Also, if your guitar is stored in extremely low humidity, it’ll take even longer to damage the guitar. Moisture and wetness will always damage your guitar much quicker than too dry of conditions, although neither is ideal.

How Do You Control Humidity In a Guitar Case?

Luckily, it’s quite easy to control the humidity inside of your guitar case. The best way to control the level of humidity in your case is by using a 2-way humidity system inside of your case. 

We recommend the D’Addario Humidipak pictured below. It’s the highest quality and does the job affordably. 

Humidipacks are relatively inexpensive and pair nicely with a digital hygrometer, which we talked about earlier in this article. These two “tools” will help ensure that your guitar is kept under the ideal atmospheric conditions.

The humidity packs will help keep the ambient air inside of your guitar case to that ideal relative humidity of between 45% and 55%.

You can also use a device called a guitar humidifier if the main problem for you happens to be extremely dry conditions. Dry conditions lead to cracking and warping of your guitar’s finish and other features.

D'Addario Accessories Guitar Humidifier System - Humidipak Maintain Kit - Automatic Humidity Control System - Maintenance-Free, Two-Way Humidity Control System For Guitars
  • HUMIDIFICATION SYSTEM: D'Addario Humidipak is the only maintenance-free, two-way humidity control system for guitar. Includes pouches and guitar humidifier packs.
  • PROTECT YOUR GUITAR: Protects your instrument against warping, cracks and other damage cause by lack of humidification.
  • TWO WAY HUMIDITY CONTROL: The first two-way humidity control that maintains a constant 45%-50% relative humidity level within your instruments case
  • AUTOMATIC HUMIDIFIER: It automatically maintains the optimal 45%-50% relative humidity level within your instrument case, eliminating the guesswork and potential mess related to refilling a humidifier.
  • AUTOMATIC ADJUSTMENTS: No more manual adjustments based on seasonal changes, geographic locations, temperature, or other factors unlike refillable humidifiers.

Last update on 2025-02-17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Do Humidifiers Work in Soft Cases?

A soft guitar case, also known as a gig bag, is not as airtight as a hard guitar case so it’s much harder to control the humidity inside. 

This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use a soft case: any guitar case is better than none at all. The level of control you will have when keeping humidity at bay in a soft case will mostly depend on the quality of the case that you have. 

If all you have is a soft case, then putting some type of humidity control inside with your guitar will always be better than using nothing. However, it’s highly recommended that you upgrade your guitar case to a hard one.

Not only will you be able to control the humidity much easier with a hard case, but you will also be able to protect your guitar from bumps and other physical damage. And if you travel a lot, a hard case is a must-have.

Should I Leave My Guitar In the Case?

If you live in an area where it is either humid or dry for most of the year, then I would definitely recommend keeping your guitar inside of its case. This will offer the most protection from the elements and will keep your guitar in tip-top shape.

I also recommend keeping your guitar in its case if you don’t play it very often. Doing so will not only protect it from sunlight but will also help to keep dust and grime off your guitar.

However, if you play your guitar on a fairly regular basis, then it’s perfectly fine to store your guitar outside of its case on a guitar stand. I would make sure that the stand is located in a spot that is NOT near a window because too much sunlight has a tendency to damage guitars.

Best Hard Cases for Protecting Your Guitar

Some guitar cases are better than others. A case that will protect your guitar from humidity, moisture, and rough handling will be the best choice to protect your musical investment. 

The ideal case should also have room for any humidity tools you decide to use as well as be the right size for your guitar. Most guitar case manufacturers will state the measurements that your guitar should be in order to fit in that particular case. 

Below are the top 3 hard guitar cases that we recommend. A good hard case doesn’t have to break your wallet in order for it to provide the utmost protection for your guitar. And remember to measure your guitar first before you purchase any type of guitar case.

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I love playing around with various types of guitar gear so I started this website to share my guitar gear knowledge with the world. Enjoy!

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